


World's Greatest Christmas

by WakeUpDreaming



Series: Holiday Shenanigans: Holiday Collection 2016 [6]
Category: Scorpion (TV 2014)
Genre: Christmas, F/M, Family Fluff, Gen, Growing Families, Part of Addie-verse, holiday fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-31
Updated: 2016-12-31
Packaged: 2018-09-13 18:19:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,494
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9135883
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WakeUpDreaming/pseuds/WakeUpDreaming
Summary: If Addie wasn't so excited about Christmas, Happy and Toby are pretty sure they would have caught on to exactly what the "big present" is for the year.





	

**Author's Note:**

> This comes as sort of a holiday epilogue to Forever After You Will Be My Home, because I love fun holiday fics and also I wanted one last sendoff to Addie and her family before the end of 2016.

Addie is sitting on the couch, studying the computer screen so intently that she doesn’t even respond when Happy calls her name three times.

She looks up, though, when Happy pats her on the head.

“What’s up, Mom?” she asks, pulling her headphones off.

“Three times,” Happy says. “No rabbit hole, kiddo.”

“I wasn’t!” Addie replies. “I promise – I was trying to figure out the right notes for this flute part.” She frowns at the screen, looking a lot like Toby. “I can’t get the harmony right.”

“Or, you know, it’s Christmas morning and you could pay attention to your family.” Happy raises an eyebrow.

“Oh, yeah!” Addie says. “When are they coming over?” She fiddles with the laptop for just a moment more, then closes it. “We got our present for Baby Meg, right?”

“She’s not really a baby anymore, Addie,” Happy says, “but, yes. Dad wrapped it last night.”

Addie grins. “Good. She’s gonna love it.”

“Well, she’s only two and a half. She might not really know what it is.”

Addie sighs, and Happy’s beginning to wish she didn’t look quite this much like Toby. “Mom, I was three when I got my ukulele. Baby Meg is going to know.”

“If you say so,” Happy says. She leans over and kisses the top of Addie’s head. “Come on – Dad’s making pancakes and you need to get dressed.”

“Is it really getting dressed if I’m putting on other pajamas?”

“You’re too much like your father,” Happy deadpans. “Go put on your Christmas pajamas.”

Addie skips off to her bedroom, doing a little leap in the air over the rug, then landing with a loud thump.

“You okay?” Toby calls from the kitchen.

“I’m good!” Addie yells back.

Happy walks into the kitchen. “She did the jumping thing again.”

“She’s going to slip on that rug and knock a tooth out,” Toby says, shaking his head.

“On the bright side, that’ll get those baby teeth out sooner rather than later. She looks kind of silly missing those two front teeth.”

“She’s loved singing that song this season, though,” Toby muses.

Happy puts on something that doesn’t look like she slept in it, and then turns on the Christmas tree, making sure all the ornaments are just high enough that Megan won’t try to pull on then like she did the year before.

“You ready?” Toby asks, looking like he’s about to vibrate out of his skin.

Happy nods. “More ready than I’ve ever been. When are you heading out?”

“About an hour,” Toby replies. “Gives everybody time to settle down and he can adjust with me first. You’re good here with Addie, right?”

“You’re the one who can’t keep secrets,” Happy replies. “We’re good.”

Toby leans in and kisses her. She can feel him smile. “Oh, we are so good.”

Addie bounds out of her room in her new purple pajamas.

“Can we open presents now?” she asks.

Happy shakes her head. “Dad has to go run an errand, and we have to wait for our family to get here.” She exchanges a look with Toby.

“What was that?” Addie asks, planting her hands on her hips. “You guys got a secret?”

Happy freezes, but Toby says, “It’s Christmas morning. Look under the tree – you’ve got two million presents.”

Addie lights up. “Seriously?!”

“Okay, what’s that word we’ve been learning lately?” Happy asks, looking at both of them.

Addie and Toby sigh together. “Hyperbole.”

“And it’s means you’re exaggerating and you probably shouldn’t believe anything your dad says,” Happy explains. “But, really, look under the tree. You and Megan and – you and Megan will be unwrapping presents until the cows come home.”

“Why don’t you go sort them for us?” Toby asks. “Put them in piles for each person – that way we can pass them out more easily.”

Addie nods and disappears into the living room, humming some tune Happy’s not familiar with.

“Think she knows?” Happy asks.

Toby shrugs. “She’s a smart kid, but it’s Christmas and she’s been kind of overwhelmed with the whole first grade thing. I think she might have been too busy to guess.”

Happy feels familiar excitement build in her heart. “It’s been a long time coming.” She and Toby get breakfast and their apartment ready, tidying up the clothes and the toys and the coloring books, Addie’s ukulele and the Captain America action figures, and big stacks of books than nobody in their house has put away for months.

Addie keeps snagging pancakes as she talks to Toby from her chair at the table, and Happy’s a little concerned they’re going to have a syrup problem before long.

There’s a knock on the door, and Happy pulls it open to see Cabe and Sylvester, both carrying big bags.

“Hi Uncle Silly!” Addie says, waving at Sylvester. He waves back, but before he can say anything –

“Hey, kid!” Cabe exclaims, scooping Addie up in his arms. He just barely dodges her hands. “Man, you’re getting big! You been eating your Wheaties?”

“My what?” Addie asks.

“This is like the Peak Freen thing,” Toby says, shaking his head. “We aren’t that old, Pops.”

“You’re getting old,” Addie says, taking another bite of the syrup-drenched pancake. “Mom told me you only started shaving because your beard was coming in grey.”

Cabe starts laughing so hard he has to put Addie down, and she shoves a couple more pancakes in her mouth as she giggles along with Cabe.

“Happy Quinn, you are the meanest wife in the universe,” Toby says, kissing her on the cheek.

Addie wrinkles her nose. “That’s almost as icky as when Auntie Paige and Uncle Walter kiss.”

“Ouch!” Paige says, walking in with Megan on her hip. “We’re grosser than your parents?”

“Only because I’m used to them,” Addie says, springing to her feet. Covered in syrup and before Happy or Toby can stop her, she hugs Paige, hands all over her.

“Ooh, Addie girl,” Paige says, patting Addie’s hand. “Honey, you’re covered in syrup.”

Addie peels herself off of Paige. “Uh-oh,” she mumbles. “I gotta go wash my hands.”

“And I have to go run a quick errand,” Toby says. “Paige, you want to take over pancakes?”

“I got it!” Ralph says, stumbling into the room with two giant bags in his hands. “And thanks for the help, Walter.” He rolls his eyes. “These weren’t heavy at all.”

“You’re hanging out with Toby too much,” Walter mumbles, grinning. “Getting too sarcastic.”

Toby kisses the top of Addie’s head and then Happy’s lips. “See you soon!” he says. If Addie wasn’t elbow deep in suds, Happy’s pretty sure she would have caught on to what errand Toby was running.

They eat pancakes and chat, until Addie goes, “Mom, where did Dad go?”

“He’s picking up – something,” Happy says.

Addie stares at her. “This is totally about the Really Big Present that you and Dad have been talking to us about for a while, isn’t it?”

“Of course not,” Happy lies.

Addie looks over to Walter and Cabe, who are sitting with coffees next to the tree. “Has she always been this bad of a liar?”

“Let’s start opening presents,” Paige deflects, holding out a present in each hand.

At that moment, Happy’s phone buzzes. She opens the phone to see. “Hi We ar in the parking lot be up soon”

Happy shoves her phone back into her pocket. “Actually, I have a present I want Addie to start with.”

Addie looks at her. “What?”

Happy walks to the tree, trying to find Addie’s gift under the massive piles. She’s half convinced she’s about to put her foot through the box of scarves they’re giving to Paige when she finally grabs the small package.

“Got it,” Happy says. “Here you are, Addie Grace. Merry Christmas.”

Addie blinks. “Huh?”

Happy tries to hold her excitement back. “Open it.”

“Is this my big present?” Addie asks.

Happy shrugs. “I don’t know. You figure it out.”

Addie’s looking at her like Happy just grew three heads. “Okay.”

Everyone in the room except for Addie and Megan know what’s in the box, what it means for all of them, so they watch Addie with unbroken attention as she pulls out the gift.

“What’s this?” Addie asks, holding up the fabric. “Mom, you gave a shirt?”

“Read it, kiddo,” Happy says gently.

Addie looks at it more closely. “World’s greatest sis –” She looks up at Happy. “What?”

“It’s official, baby girl,” Happy says. “Alex is going to be joining our family, starting very soon. We’re his family now. He doesn’t have to leave again.”

Addie bursts into tears.

“Whoa, Addie, what’s wrong?” Happy asks.

“I’m just so happy!” she wails, diving into Happy’s arms. “I got a big brother, Mama!”

And then there’s a knock on the door.

“I’ll get it!” Megan says, toddling over. Walter scoops her up and helps her turn the door knob.

And there is Toby, holding Alex’s hand. He looks a little nervous, but there’s a smile on his face. Happy’s just thankful that he’s had a chance to meet every one of their family before this moment – the anxiety isn’t overwhelming him. The joy is.

“Merry Christmas, Addie!” he says, swinging his hand and Toby’s.

Addie looks at him, the tears stopping. “Merry Christmas, Alex.” Then she lets go of Happy and sprints toward Alex, wrapping her arms around his waist. Alex takes a moment to hug her back, then squeezes her like his life depended on it.

Paige and, surprisingly, Cabe, are doing a terrible job of hiding their tears.

“You two okay?” Happy asks, trying not to laugh too hard.

“It’s just – he’s…” Paige trails off as Meg pats her cheek. “He’s ours now.”

“Don’t look at me,” Cabe manages, “I’m good. I’m fine.”

Happy has to admit, she’s getting a little weepy too. This has been an incredibly long haul – interviews with social services, changes in lifestyle, moving out of the apartment where they started their lives together. But it’s all been so worth it. Alex, standing there with dark hair that nearly matches Addie’s, is smiling in a way Happy hasn’t seen him before.

“Look, Alex!” Addie says, pulling out her shirt.

He smiles. “Cool.”

“And you, Alex, get this one.” Toby pulls the matching package with Alex’s name on it out from under a pile of presents. The shirt reads _World’s Greatest Brother_ , and Alex’s smile grows bigger.

“We can put them on now, if you want,” Addie asks gently.

Alex nods, yanking it on over the Christmas pajamas Toby had given him as they were giving presents to some of Alex’s friends at the children’s home. Addie follows suit.

“We match!” she exclaims.

Addie pulls him down onto the beanbag chair she’d been sharing with Meg, who, without a word, settles herself into Alex’s lap and gives him a big hug.

Alex looks up at Happy, looking a little confused, but she just smiles at him.

“Welcome home, Alex,” she says quietly, settling a hand on his head.

~

Alex looks a little overwhelmed before much time passes around the Christmas tree, with presents and people and excitement. Megan, Cabe, and Addie are loud and gleeful, and even Happy’s getting a little over Christmas spirited. He looks to Happy when Megan is working hard to open a big present from Cabe (it’s a bike – Happy’s not sure how that will go). She nods without a word, and Alex scrambles to his feet. Happy’s expecting him to walk into his room alone, a room that he helped them decorate, that he picked out, decorated with Star Wars and Captain American and blue walls.

But then Alex starts tugging on Happy’s sleeve.

“Come with?” he asks quietly.

“Yeah, kiddo,” Happy says, standing. Alex takes her hand and pulls her toward his bedroom. When they close the door, he hugs Happy like his life depends on it.

“Hey,” she says gently, trying to remember what she usually does when Addie does this. But Addie hasn’t done this in a long time. “Alex, what’s wrong?”

“There’s just a lotta people out there,” Alex mumbles into Happy’s shirt.

Happy laughs. “It freaks me out sometimes, too. But they’re family. And they love you.”

Alex looks up, confused. “What?”

“All of them,” Happy assures him, brushing his messy bangs away from his face. “They all love you.”

Alex’s expression is a strange combination that Happy’s never seen before. “All of them?” he asks, incredulous and hopeful at the same time.

Happy feels something twist around her heart, some remnant of who she was before she found Scorpion pulling at her soul. “Oh, Alex, sweetheart,” she says, trying not to cry, “every single one of them.”

“Are you crying?” Alex asks, looking baffled. “I’m sorry!”

“No, sweetie, no,” Happy sits down on the new rocking chair they bought for Alex’s room, because it needed to match Addie’s. Without a word, Alex clambers up into Happy’s lap and curls up. This little boy is so much like who Happy was at this age – scared, unsure if these new people love him as much as he hopes. She saw that in him. She saw herself in him.

“I’m going to take care of you,” Happy says firmly. “I’m your mom, okay? Forever. And you have a Dad and a little sister and an aunt and uncles,” she smiles at him, “and a Pops, who makes very silly puns.”

“What’s a pun?” Alex asks. And then, like he’s trying to figure out how to fit his lips around the word, “Mom?”

Happy feels her heart leap a little when Alex calls her that, just like the first time Addie called her “mama.” “It’s a really dopey joke,” she assures him. “We’ll teach you how to make every silly pun in the book.”

Alex yawns and snuggles into her. “We can take a break from family for a couple more minutes, right?”

“Of course. And this is your room, Alex,” she nods to everything. “That dresser? Your clothes. That closet? Your toys.” She looks on the floor. “Those underpants? Yours, and they should probably go in your laundry basket.” Alex giggles. “If you ever need a break, you can come in here and rest.”

“Okay,” Alex says.

They’re quiet for a few moments, and Happy takes it all in. She finally feels like all the boxes are checked off in their family. She knew Alex needed to be part of their family the moment they met him, a year and a half ago. The children’s home allowed visits, but social services and paperwork put up roadblock after roadblock. And then one day – the answer was yes. It was miraculous and perfect, and now he’s Alexander Quinn Curtis. Just in time for Christmas.

And, Happy notes, Alexander Quinn Curtis has completely fallen asleep in her arms.

“Merry Christmas, kiddo,” Happy murmurs, kissing Alex on the top of his head. “We’re glad you’re home.”

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry it was so late, lovelies! Have a happy new year, and I hope 2017 brings you as many smiles as you can get.


End file.
